I have been fostering a boxer/mix (maybe hound in there?) for about 3 weeks now. We rescued him from being put down after 9 months in the shelter. He is about 2 years old and the sweetest dog. He greets everyone on the street with kisses. Last night, I had a friend spend the night. He greeted her at the door with a wagging tail and some kisses. He was fine until we got into my room and sat on my bed. He was sitting inbetween us and I was petting him. My friend reached out to touch him and he got violent in a split second. He lunged at her and was growling and snapping like I've never seen. I grabbed his collar and pulled him off before he could actually get any teeth in her. He did not turn his aggression toward me when I was pulling him off. I put him outside my room and shut the door. I later brought him back in and put him in his crate for the night and he would growl at my friend from his crate. He would just stare at her. It was quite creepy, actually. He had this intent look on his face like he wanted to attack her.

This dog was "zeutered" which is a method of neutering by injection. It sterilizes him, but he still acts like a dog that has not been neutered. He peed on just about everything in the house when we got him home. He is good with female dogs (he will try to mount them) but is very aggressive with other males. So I THINK he is acting territorial over me or the house or his sleeping space (He usually sleeps in my room in his crate).

It's strange because my younger brother had some of his friends in the house the other day and he was totally fine...no growling, nothing. My older brother mentioned him growling at one of his friends (a girl) a couple weeks ago, but it was not as violent as last night. I just don't understand what is triggering it. Why does he do this to some people and not others?

I took him to a community event on Friday night and he was perfect. Very friendly, NO aggressiveness whatsoever. He has two possible adopters lined up for him. Both have children. I don't have any concerns that he will attack the kids, but I am afraid if one of the kids invites a friend over, things could get ugly. I just don't know what to do. I'm not sure I feel comfortable adopting him out to someone knowing he can behave like that.

Do you think a surgical neuter could help this? Do un-neutered dogs usually act like this?

I am so disappointed...I was confident he was going to be a perfect family dog :( thanks..

flytobecat

04-21-2013 03:49 PM

I wouldn't suggest a dog like that to be adopted out to a family with children.
He sounds like he is very territorial and have claimed you as his own.
I'm not familiar with chemical neutering, but at his age the problem is now a behavior. It might get better with surgery, but it won't completely go away.
I wouldn't trust him in a home with other pets, and children.
Sounds like he needs a lot of socialization.

4horses

04-21-2013 05:09 PM

He should probably be surgically neutered. This is very similar to having a cryptorchid horse (the horse has retained testicles in the abdomen) but still has high testosterone levels. My neighbor has a crypt stallion and he was fine while a 2 yr old, but once he reached 3 he became uncontrollable to the point of being dangerous.

In other words your dog still thinks he is a "stud". Get him neutered and start taking him places in a muzzle until you are sure how he will be. If he bites someone they could sue you. I'm not sure what the point of chemical castration is- if they retain undesirable behaviors they are going to get dumped or put down.

"Unlike surgical castration, puppies treated with Neutersol retain their testes. Testosterone production is not completely halted following the bilateral injection though testosterone blood levels are reduced by 41% to 52%. Because of the presence of testosterone, the risk of diseases processes promoted by testosterone, e.g. certain prostatic diseases and testicular or perianal tumors, may remain unaltered. Also, male behaviors such as roaming, marking,aggression, or mounting in dogs may not be reduced as effectively as following surgical castration." (pet place.com)

xxEmilyxx

04-21-2013 05:49 PM

Thanks. I just don't what I am going to do....I can't afford to have him surgically neutered...and I don't know how I am going to get him adopted like this.

Sharpie

04-21-2013 06:03 PM

This is just my opinion and I know it's not a popular one- that dog is already a problem and will likely continue to be a problem and unless you want him or there is a no-kids experienced dog owner who wants him, he should be euthanized. Not because he is broken or evil, or anything like that, but because without very careful re-training, he will injure a person. There are millions of dogs killed every year for lack of homes who would never even consider attacking a human. They deserve a home more than a dog who is willing to harm humans does.

Now, if you love him and want to try to 'fix' him, I get it and more power to you. One of my dogs was a dog like your foster- unadoptable because he was potentially a bite risk. To meet him now, 6 years later, you'd never know it, but it wasn't easy and I STILL cannot take any risks or treat him like a 'normal' dog. NEVER take that level of aggression lightly, and DO NOT underestimate the risk a dog willing to attack humans poses. DO NOT let this dog end up in a situation where someone is going to get hurt. I feel for you- you are in a terribly difficult situation with this boy. Surgically neutering may have helped prevent this before it started, but it's not a magic fix now that he knows he can attack people.

xxEmilyxx

04-21-2013 06:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sharpie
(Post 2301417)

This is just my opinion and I know it's not a popular one- that dog is already a problem and will likely continue to be a problem and unless you want him or there is a no-kids experienced dog owner who wants him, he should be euthanized. Not because he is broken or evil, or anything like that, but because without very careful re-training, he will injure a person. There are millions of dogs killed every year for lack of homes who would never even consider attacking a human. They deserve a home more than a dog who is willing to harm humans does.

Now, if you love him and want to try to 'fix' him, I get it and more power to you. One of my dogs was a dog like your foster- unadoptable because he was potentially a bite risk. To meet him now, 6 years later, you'd never know it, but it wasn't easy and I STILL cannot take any risks or treat him like a 'normal' dog. NEVER take that level of aggression lightly, and DO NOT underestimate the risk a dog willing to attack humans poses. DO NOT let this dog end up in a situation where someone is going to get hurt. I feel for you- you are in a terribly difficult situation with this boy. Surgically neutering may have helped prevent this before it started, but it's not a magic fix now that he knows he can attack people.

Oh man...I was hoping a surgical neuter would stop this. It's awful. Last summer I had a dog similar to him...friendly friendly friendly, and then sometimes he'd just go nuts. He put puncture wounds in my brother's friend's leg and he had to be euthanized. Hardest thing I've ever had to do. I was hoping I would never have to do it again. I am going to check with some rescues and just see if there's anything I can do. Thank you for your opinion, however.

myhorsesonador

04-21-2013 06:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sharpie
(Post 2301417)

This is just my opinion and I know it's not a popular one- that dog is already a problem and will likely continue to be a problem and unless you want him or there is a no-kids experienced dog owner who wants him, he should be euthanized. Not because he is broken or evil, or anything like that, but because without very careful re-training, he will injure a person. There are millions of dogs killed every year for lack of homes who would never even consider attacking a human. They deserve a home more than a dog who is willing to harm humans does.

Now, if you love him and want to try to 'fix' him, I get it and more power to you. One of my dogs was a dog like your foster- unadoptable because he was potentially a bite risk. To meet him now, 6 years later, you'd never know it, but it wasn't easy and I STILL cannot take any risks or treat him like a 'normal' dog. NEVER take that level of aggression lightly, and DO NOT underestimate the risk a dog willing to attack humans poses. DO NOT let this dog end up in a situation where someone is going to get hurt. I feel for you- you are in a terribly difficult situation with this boy. Surgically neutering may have helped prevent this before it started, but it's not a magic fix now that he knows he can attack people.

I work for a rescue as a trainer, and right now we are at over 80 dogs at the farm and we have more out in foster. We get calls every day with people begging us to take more dogs. Most of them are highly adoptable, there are just more dogs than there are homes.

I know how hard it is to have to let one go, we have had more than one that just couldn't be trusted for one reason or another.

Maybe talk to a behaviorist, and then decide what the best option is for this dog.

Lopin N Paint

04-21-2013 09:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xxEmilyxx
(Post 2301465)

Oh man...I was hoping a surgical neuter would stop this. It's awful. Last summer I had a dog similar to him...friendly friendly friendly, and then sometimes he'd just go nuts. He put puncture wounds in my brother's friend's leg and he had to be euthanized. Hardest thing I've ever had to do. I was hoping I would never have to do it again. I am going to check with some rescues and just see if there's anything I can do. Thank you for your opinion, however.

Two dogs that are fine one minute and going crazy the next?

I think this is odd... Either your not reading the dog and your missing trigger signs OR its something you or the people around you are doing...

My suggestion would be put the dog down or in the hands of a professional and stop fostering or taking in unwanted dogs!

xxEmilyxx

04-21-2013 09:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lopin N Paint
(Post 2303529)

Two dogs that are fine one minute and going crazy the next?

I think this is odd... Either your not reading the dog and your missing trigger signs OR its something you or the people around you are doing...

My suggestion would be put the dog down or in the hands of a professional and stop fostering or taking in unwanted dogs!

Thanks for your rude opinion, but no I won't stop taking in unwanted dogs. I have fostered over 10 great dogs who have all went to loving homes. If it weren't for me fostering them, they would be dead now.

A behaviorist evaluated the dog I had last summer and told me that he most likely had some neurological problems. The dog would be laying on the floor one minute, and then the next second would tear around the house, attacking anyone he saw.

As for the dog I have now, if you actually read the post, you would understand that he is feeling territorial over his space. He was NOT unprovoked.

CowboyBob

04-21-2013 09:54 PM

I really like the "dog wisperer" crap what's his name, anyway check out the turn arounds he has had with dog. I really like his show, he seems to do great work with dogs.